AND IT WAS SO

Tell us, old woman, was it so 
when we could talk freely
in the sunshine, and each one
respected the other?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so
when we could walk
down a street and be safe
from gunfire?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so
when people read books
instead of playing with phones
and looking at Facebook and Instagram?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so
when people respected the flag
and stood for the national anthem
and removed their caps?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so
when Congress worked together
and the parties respected each other
and the constitution?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so
when children were safe at school
and did not fear the violence
from random bad actors?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so
that people honored the Constitution,
supported the law,
and voted their conscience?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so
when people breathed fresh air
drank clean water, and
enjoyed temperate days?
            Yes my child, it was so.
 
Tell us old woman, was it so,
that extinctions occurred it the past
and we are near a tipping point
for a new extinction event?
            Yes my child, it is so.
 
Tell us old woman, will it be so
that we will want to spend time with friends,
respect people, and be ruled by love
and decency?
            Yes my child, it depends on
            what you do today.
 
Tell us old woman, will it be so
that better days will come
when wars are gone and
peace prevails?
            Yes my child, it depends on
            what you do today.
            And it was so.

--By Steven Wade Veatch and Christine Doolittle